Character Creation
Category:MiscellaneousCategory:Help Race? The race of your character is a very important design to how they react because as a race you may perceive other races differently. it is a large factor on who your character is and it is important that you have a good grip on what they are and why you want to be said race.. Racial Interactions? Some races do not like each other. It is quite obvious. Humans and Orcs do not typically give hugs and kisses. Even allies have a sense of distaste towards other allies be it for their practices or laws. Be sure to find out where you character stands because this will influence how your character is at interacting towards others of that specific race. Racial Traits? Different races tend to have certain traits that make them unique to others. An example would be such as humans typically have a better sense of their surroundings, Some also believe they have an innate trait to learn faster then others. Another example is how night elves tend to have the ability to blend in with the shadows to make them almost seem transparent.though one must remember there are certain kinds of traits, if we work with the lore of Warcraft 3, then the females of the elves activates their Shadowmeld anytime they stand still and it is not determined by whether they force it or not. it is a racial trait of their kind while others would be more focused such as gnomes and their escape artist trick it is not something that just happens they must preform said action. These can induce a better role play experience and make your environment a much more interesting place.whether you are the human who notices many things around them or the subtle and hidden (though not purposefully) Night Elf. Typical Racial Personality? Races do have similar feelings towards others. Many of which are negative and perhaps even towards their own allies, similar to the real world and that is how it should feel to you. A racial personality is usually based upon the racial history and previous encounters with other races or peoples. This can add a nice sense of relief or add tension to a character making them feel more life like, because lets face it, we sometimes hate the people we like. Even though it is slightly stereotypical to fallow this route it is quite original because many people do not play according to their background. (Hence this comes forward!). Racial History? Your racial history is a large factor on your character because you will have to define where in which your character entered in such a place in history if at all. Whether be it the War of the Ancients 10,000 years before the current day of Warcraft or merely five years ago when all the tragedy happened but, you are a newcomer to this crazy world we call Warcraft just trying to understand it all. Your racial history must be considered and this is one of the higher priorities when making a character. This will help you determine how your character feels against other players and how you will react in certain situations but that is entirely up to you. Different people take events differently. Age? Your age is another must know factor which can be decided upon what race you and and where in the line of history your character takes place. Average Racial Life Span? This is a minor factor but it might effect how your character behaves to age. Just remember, you cannot have a six thousand year old human. Every race expires at different times. Sex? Minor determination and totally open for anybody. Male, Female, Your choice. Job? This is one aspect of your character that I will feel that will make a character extremely interesting towards character development. You can range anything from the righteous paladin, the sinister rogue, down to the average citizen or the humble blacksmith or carpenter. You must have some kind of profession in your character's existence unless you want to be like Homeless Bob over there. This also adds much towards the plot and direction of your character while also largely towards your character's history. While it is common knowledge not everybody gets the job they want it appears in a game everyone can be exactly what you want. There is nothing wrong with this but if you want to try and twist and not have the job your character wants but quite the opposite. An example may be a relieved Sentinel from the battle of Mount Hyjal who was dismissed and now works for the City Guard when they much rather remain in the Sentinels. Maybe you are a Carpenter that has always had a dream of leatherworker, or you had always dreamed to cook though have been terrible at it. Sometimes having your character not be satisfied with their job can be quite interesting when people ask why you are so bitter or unmotivated and mind you this does not verify you have to be a mean person as your character but everybody doesn't like something and can easily be made grumpy from it. Though in general this will be a large determining factor towards your character via development, history, and overall being. Character Personality? This is a major one that people sometimes make up as they go which is fine, but when you consider a real person, it is quite complex. A person could love all fruits and vegetables but absolutely despise lettuce and salad and there could be no explanation other then "It is too crunchy." Though this does not mean you cannot make it up as you go, just have a general outline for your character. A personality will be the largest part of your character, do a little planning because you have to treat your character like a person in order to be the most effective character. Loosely base it on yourself but try not to make it an extension of yourself because then, what is the point of making a character with a different name and history and a creative detail? Emotional Stability? Another large influence especially in the World of Warcraft because one may be more or less effected by events, Fortunately there will not be a paragraph of description rather then just the note. Base this loosely off your character's history and personality. The emotional stability will help emphasize when certain events happen a reaction that is given to enhance plot building. Typical Emotional Outlook? This one is fairly straight forward where all that is being asked is that you understand what your character typically thinks and reacts when situations arrive be it positive, negative or a complex mixture of both. History? In my own opinion this is that hardest part of making the character. Well, a good character. There are the very cliche types of backgrounds that I am sure the audience can determine for themselves. Though a good background to a character will usually consist of knowing everything that happened to said character previous to being where they are at present day, and even their specific movements when reacting (even though going that far might not help a lot but it could explain why a character tends to always be tapping their foot or so.). By no means though do we expect you to write a book. (But you can if you'd like!) Effect previous experience has had on said character? This is very straight forward. Some characters may be greatly influenced by their history. Perhaps they were saved by a great paladin and for that they were grateful but most of all motivated to be that person as well.this once more has a large effect on your character's history and overall role play experience. Location of birth? One of the details that should be included in character history. It is important to know the geography of the place you are playing in as well as the world you are involved in and where you are. This is fairly straight forward once again. What is the typical environment your character resides in or provides? This is a minor factor. Druids are typically uncomfortable when they are in a city because it is just so unnatural, though if your character has lived their all their life and just left for studies then they may feel quite at home in a city. While this plays a great role based on location, environment also refers to the atmosphere your character puts out to other characters. For example a druid may put out a feeling of relaxation and tranquility while a barbarian or warrior of any sort would put out the feeling of hostility. though this is more based on how your character is played. Secrets? These are something that are really hard to do and play effectively because what players tend to do is reveal them quite often. People will say they have a secret they need to keep about their character and it is a very large plot development about their past and so forth but by the end of the week half of the city knows. If you have a secret, treat it as such. This is hard to do I know but temptation must be resisted until the right moment. The key to making a good secret is it have something you wish to keep hidden, silly I know because it is so obvious, but it happens less then one may believe, whether it is a personality trait or you murdered someone. You also need a trigger, perhaps a topic of conversation that would make your character act much more unusual then normal. perhaps nervous, shy, anything as long as it is out of the ordinary. Depending on how much of a secret it is, determine how subtle the reaction should be or how obvious the reaction is. Motto? This is just a nice little thing to have with not much priority but adds a bit of spice to the character if they have a certain way of expressing their overall expressions and beliefs it does not have to be a real world, for example I have a character that whenever slightly agitated, sad and even embarrassed at the same time wants to say something that expresses that said character is upset and goes "Oh! FIDDLE SNUFF" I am not quite sure where I remember hearing that but I had heard it once before and was quite amused how accurately and politely it could express frustration in the form of words.. Drive? This is a must you need to figure out why your character is doing anything. Without a drive your character has no existence in essence. There is no meaning. Your character existing without drive is exactly that. Just Existing. Figure out if there is an important figure that keeps your character wanting to strive better. A goal said character wishes to complete but never have no drive when you first create the character. Said drive can diminish and dwindle away to nothing but as you play your character more will arise and such you will be able to continue your story of Albert the Unicorn Sloth Dog (please never make a character like, or named that or Homeless Bob.) Strengths? A strength of a good character is not a set definition moreso something you feel is an advantage that is a better attribute to a character. Whether it is pure stubbornness, a kind caring heart, or the ability to tear a phone book in half, A strength of a character is not in set definition other then a positive supportive function of your character. Weaknesses? Every good character has a weakness and no I do not speak of Kryptonite or anything I mean a weakness where one has a soft spot for said character. perhaps a sensitive subject from something you described in your character's history? Perhaps a fear of something? The only real definition is that the character has to be negatively effected by said event, action, or comment. Quotes? This has no real importance with your character and perhaps may refer to your character's motto. An example that I use personally is, "A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort." Overall expression? This is a minor trait though it is not bad to always remember because it will give you a basis on how everyone will view your character as well help other players set a platform in where your character stands on several situations. Though do not mistake this with your typical emotional outlook, this is talking about how you first seem in the eyes of others. Looks? This is an minor factor but it must be done at some points because it may vary dependent on what you are playing as. Perhaps your character may have darker or lighter skin, perhaps freckles, or even scars in which have several stories behind it. The way a character looks can help define how others may perceive your own character on the spectrum of good and evil. An average person with a general attitude in which shows reclusiveness and shyness will often buy you innocence points as long as it can be properly maintained and rationalized, while in fact you could be quite the trouble maker. First impression comes from how your character looks though you can normally stick with the character model's appearance and still do well which is why this is somewhat of a minor factor. Parents? This is where you begin making two more character to help support a story towards your main character and their past because as much as people tend to ignore the fact that their parents exist they play a large role in how your character responds to situations and whether or not your character has a strong connection with them will also be able to assist with the character. Though never have a character a son of a king or queen or anything along those lines because the games are usually quite clear who is and is not part of a royal family. Parents' personality? You will have to have a general personality for the parent character so you can rationalize why your character has some traits. Though do not spend much time thinking on this topic, you can usually leave it at, for example 'reclusive and stayed away from others but very close to family' sort of deal. Nothing detailed just a general outline. Perhaps you learned a few habits to reacting towards situations from them and the way they reacted to the same situations. Parents' treatment? This will rationalize as well how you are treated and how you react to treatment. This may assist in designing character reaction to positive and negative situations due to once again, History and past experience. Parents' racial background? This is where the race of your character may take place, though it is highly unlikely two different species of humanoid are able to reproduce, people still do it anyways so as they say "when in Rome, do as the Romans do" and if you do it, be sure that only some of each racial traits are carried over. You will not have all the abilities of both races because you are a half blood, you will be lucky if you get half the abilities of each and more then likely you will have less. Half bloods are not common by the way and would be a very recent addition to the world so try to encourage your character being full blood as previously said. Parent's upbringing? This is a key determining factor to your character because it will help define if you are a deviant character with ill intentions or a lawful member of society. It will also be able to help figure out to what extent you are either of those. Though the general upbringing at the moment would be considerably good unless you were born sometime during the third war in other words you would be about 7 years old. Parental Influence? Parents may be equal to a main character but often children will have a favorite parent. As the sayings go, "Momma's Boy" or "Daddy's Little Girl" or so forth. Once you determine which parent (if any) your character had preferred more, figure out which personality traits and other expressions in which your character had received from them, whether it was positive or negative is not an issue. Interests in others? Typically there will be a certain group your character will be attracted to whether be them the average citizens because you are able to speak to them and have fun or the deviant peoples in which feel the urge to raise hell, down to the guards who wish to enforce lawfulness. Priorities? While the drive of the character will be involved in this there is some thought process with this because priorities are made for example to guards. The guard is a guard at all times and whatever comes up a guard must be available and ready for action and this must become priority over everything unless personal priority of the character takes over (should said person feel family is a main value). For example, a character may feel duty bound and no matter what will stay on duty and as soon as a family member is sick in any shape or form priority kicks in before the decision is even considered and drops post with proper procedure to return to said family as quickly as possible. Now priority can be looked in several different ways because some may feel currency is the greatest priority while others may feel it is the well being of others. This is one you can play with and is always subject for change. Sensitivities? Some characters may be hurt when certain comments are made. A key example is truth. A character may be really hurt by a comment that is really quite mean and harsh, though inevitably true. Or a character may feel quite discouraged and lack of enthusiasm when they find out they made the wrong choice. This is a good part in which one can really develop a character because it adds a lot of depth to it. Betrayal is also a good example. A sensitivity may not always induce embarrassment or disgrace but could invoke great frustration or anger. This is all opinionated in the view of myself and do not feel restrained when you are making your character. If you have questions concerns or comments feel free to send Amenia, Alliance side, an in game mail. Spelling fixes made by Alakthul.